Erickson's developmental stages...

Nursing Students General Students

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Hi everyone! I have a question. My patient this week

was profoundly mentally disabled. On our care plan sheets we have to choose which developmental stage they are in and determine if they are meeting tasks for their level. If she (40 years old) is in Generativity vs Stagnation she would obviously not be meeting the tasks for this level. However, since she has the intellect of a toddler, should she be in a different developmental level? Any ideas?

Thanks!

Gerb :)

Specializes in Psychiatric.

Hi Gerbil!

According to my book 'Psychiatric Nursing', " Each stage of development is an emotional crisis involving positive and negative experiences. Growth or mastery of critical tasks is the result of having more positive than negative experiences. Nonmastery of tasks inhibits movement to the next stage.' (p. 25) Since she's mentally disabled, she would be at a lower developmental level than Generativity vs. stagnation since she might not have mastered the tasks of the stages before it.

I hope that helps!

Specializes in LTC.
Hi Gerbil!

According to my book 'Psychiatric Nursing', " Each stage of development is an emotional crisis involving positive and negative experiences. Growth or mastery of critical tasks is the result of having more positive than negative experiences. Nonmastery of tasks inhibits movement to the next stage.' (p. 25) Since she's mentally disabled, she would be at a lower developmental level than Generativity vs. stagnation since she might not have mastered the tasks of the stages before it.

I hope that helps!

Yep that is right, some people never get out of a certain stage, due to a number of reasons

Specializes in NICU.

For our careplans, we always had to put the stage that they're supposed to be in (according to their age), and then the stage that they're actually in (according to their mentality). So yes, you're right ..... you should list her in the stage according to her intellect, which you said is toddler:

Toddler (ages 1-2) Autonomy vs. Doubt

Early Childhood (ages 2-6) Initiative vs. Guilt

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